Ball detent fastener having pin movable to unlocked position by movement of actuator in either axial direction



July 4, 1961 D, w. PRICE ETAL 2,990,747 ING PIN MOVABLE TO UNLOCKED gsi.

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I M a .e SE E 4 M United States Patent O 2,990,747 BALL DETENTy FASTENER HAVING PIN MOV- ABLE TO UNLOCKED POSITION BY MOVEMENT OF ACTUATOR IN EITHER AXIAL DIRECTION Duane W. I rice and David Z. Chapman, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Aerpat A.G., Glarus, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Mar. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 719,775 7 Claims. (Cl. 8S-5) The present invention relates tofastening or coupling devices and, more particularly, to a readily releasable fastener capable of securing together temporarily two or more structural elements, such as sheets or plates, by inserting it into registering holes therein, a general object of the invention being to provide an improved fastening device of this general type.

More specically, the present invention is concerned with a fastening device of the type which includes: an elongated barrel; at least one detent carried by the barrel adjacent one -end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardhI relative to the barrel between inner, retraoted and outer, extended positions, the detent projecting laterally from the barrel when in its extended position; a stop carried by the barrel adjacent the other end of the barrel and facing the detent end thereof, the stop being spaced longitudinally of the barrel from the detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of the barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on the pin adjacent one end thereof for moving the detent outwardly into its extended position when the pin is in its operative position, the detent being movable inwardly into its retracted position when the pin is in its inoperative position; spring means acting on the barrel Iand the pin and biasing the pin toward its operative position; and actuating means on the barrel for moving the pin from its operative position to its inoperative position against the action of the spring means to permit inward movement of the detent into its retracted position.

With a fastening device of the foregoing nature, the detent is permitted to move inwardly into its retracted position by moving the pin axially into its inoperative position, whereupon the fastening device may be inserted into, or withdrawn from, registering holes in the structural elements to be held together temporarily, the stop on the barrel limiting insertion of the fastening device into the holes in the structural elements. When the pin is maintained in its operative position by the spring means, the detent is in its extended position and prevents withdrawal of the fastening device from the registering holes in the elements to be secured together. However, the detent may be moved into its retracted position to permit withdrawal of the fastening device simply by operating the actuating means to cause the latter to move the pin from its operative position to its inoperative position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide such a fastening device wherein the actuating means is capable of moving the pin from its operative position to its inoperative position, to permit inward movement of the detent into its retracted position, in response to longitudinal movement of elements of the actuating means relative to the barrel in either direction.

With the foregoing construction, when inserting the fastening device into registering holes in elements to be held together, it is merely necessary to push on an element of the actuating means and, when withdrawal of the fastening device is desired, it is merely necessary to pull on an element of the actuating means, such push and pull forces resulting in Vdisplacement of the pin into its in-u operative position to permit retraction of the detent. Expressed somewhat differently, the present invention automatically permits insertion and withdrawal of the fasten- Patented July 4, 1961 ing device in response to the respective push and pull forces inherently necessary to produce such insertion and withdrawal, which is an important feature of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide an actuating means which includes an actuator movable longitudinally of the barrel adjacent the end of the barrel remote from the detent end thereof, and provided with opposed cams which selectively cooperate with a cam on the pin within the barrel to move the pin into its inoperative position irrespective of the direction of movement of the actuator relative to the barrel. Y

Thus, by pushing on the actuator, one of the opposed cams thereon cooperates with the cam on the pin to move the pin to its inoperative position to permit retraction of the detent and, by pulling on the actuator, the other opposed cam thereon cooperates with the cam on the vpin to effect the same result.

Another object is to provide a fastening device wherein the opposed cams on the actuator selectively act on the cam on the pin through one or more intervening follower elements, such as balls.

A further object is to provide a fastening device wherein the opposed cams on the actuator and the cam on the pin are annular cams `and wherein the opposed cams on the actuator selectively act on the cam on the pin through a plurality of circumferentially spaced balls disposed therebetween, thereby avoiding side loads on the actuator and the pin as the result of the interaction of the cams and thus minimizing friction.

Another object is to provide a fastening device wherein the actuator is telescoped over the end of the barrel remote from the detent end thereof and wherein the two opposed cams on the actuatorl are formed by the sides of an internal, V-shaped annular groove in the actuator, the balls for communicating the action of one or the other of the opposed cams on the actuator to the cam on the pin being disposed in radial openings in the barrel.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the fastener art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail hereinafter. Referring to the drawing:

FIGS. 1 and 2 `are longitudinal sectional views of the fastening device of the invention and illustrate the operation thereof as it is inserted into registering holes in elements to be secured together;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating the operation of the fastener as it is withdrawn from the registering holes in the elements; and

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are transverse sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 55, 6*-6 and 7-7 of FIG. l of the drawing.

The numeral 10 designates a fastening device of the invention which is insertable through registering holes 12, 14 and 16 in elements 18, 20 and 22 of any desired nature to hold saine together temporarily. Obviously, the device 10 may be utilized with numbers of structural elements greater or less than the specific number three shown.

The fastening .device 10 includes 1an elongated barrel 24- having a tapered or convergent end 26 facilitating insertion of the barrel into the holes 12, 14 and 16, the barrel lhaving `at its other end a cylindrical enlargement or head 28 which provides an external annular shoulder 30 acting as a stop to limit insertion of the barrel into the `holes in the elements 18, 20 and 22.

The barrel 24 is provided adjacent the tapered end 26 thereof with two aligned, radial holes 32 for ball detents 34 which are movable inwardly and outwardly between inner, retracted positions, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and outer, extended positions, shown in FIGS. l and 3. The detents 34 prevent withdrawal of the barrel 24 :from the holes 12, 14 and 16 when in their extended positions. Loss of the detents 34 from the holes 32 is prevented by peening or staking the barrel adjacent the outer ends of the holes, as indicated at 36.

Reciprocable in the barrel 24 and extending into a counterbore 40 in the head 28 of the barrel is a pin 42 having a reduced-diameter portion 44 adapted to receive the ball detents 34 therein, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, to permit them to move inwardly into their retracted positions. The reduced diameter portion 44 of the pin 42 is in register with the holes 32 to permit `the detents 34 to move inwardly into their retracted positions when the pin is in what will be referred to hereinafter as an inoperative position relative to the barrel 24, such inoperative position of the pin being shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing. When the pin 42 is in its operative position, shown in FIGS. l and 3 of the drawing, a portion 46 thereof of a diameter exceeding that of the portion 44 registers with the holes 32 to move the detents 34 outwardly into their extended positions, the portion 46 of the pin serving as a means for extending the detents to prevent withdrawal of the barrel 24 from the assembly of elements 18, 20 and 22.

The pin 42 is provided with a tapered annular cam 48 thereon within the counterbore 40 in the head 28 of the barrel 24, this cam converging toward the detent end 26 of the barrel. Outwardly of the cam 48, the pin 42 is provided with a stem 50 which is encircled by a compression spring 52 seated at one end against the large end of the cam 48 and at its other end against a transverse pin 54 which extends through the barrel and projects laterally therefrom at both ends. The spring 52 acts as a means for constantly biasing the pin 42 toward its operative position.

`Engaging .the cam 48 on the pin 42 is a plurality of circumferentially spaced balls 56 disposed in radial holes 58 in the head 28 of the barrel 24 and projecting laterally from such head. Telescoped over the head 28 of the barrel 24 is a cup-shaped actuator formed of a sleeve 60 having a bail 62 connected thereto by a pivot pin 64 to provide a handle, the Aactuator being reciprocable relative to the barrel '24. The transverse pin 54 projects into longitudinal slots 66 in the actuator sleeve 60 so that this pin guides the reciprocatory motion of the actuator. The slots 66 are closed by a sleeve 68 pressed over the slotted portion end of the actuator.

The actuator sleeve 60 is provided therein with an internal, annular groove 70 having the coniiguration of a flat V in cross section, the sides of the V-shaped groove 70 providing opposed cams 72 and 74 selectively engageable with the balls 56 which function as radially movable follower elements. The cam 72 :diverges axially of the barrel 24 toward the detent end 26 thereof, while the cam 74 converges axially of the barrel toward such end thereof.

Considering the operation of the fastening device 10, insertion thereof into the holes 12, 14 'and 16 will be considered rst. To insert the fastening device 10, the tapered end 26 thereof is inserted into the hole 12 and, at the same time, a push force, indicated by the arrow 76, is applied to the actuator 60, either by applying it to the bail 62, or by applying it directly to the outer end of the actuator. This push force results in movement of the actuator toward the detent end 26 of the barrel 24 so that the cam 72 forces the balls `56 inwardly. The balls can move inwardly only as the result of first causing the cam 48 on the pin 42, and the pin 42 itself, to move in `a direction away from the detent end 26 of the barrel in opposition to the action of the spring 52,'as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. As soon as `the ,cam 72, the balls l56 and the cam `48 have displaced the pin 42 into its inoperative position, the detents 34 enter the reduced-diameter portion 44 of the pin to permit insertion of the tapered end 26 of the barrel 24 through the holes 12, 14 and 16 into the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

To withdraw the fastening device 10, it is merely necessary to exert a pull force on the actuator 60, as indicated by the arrow 78, such pull force preferably being applied to the bail 6'2. This pull force results in movement of the actuator 60 away from the detent end 26 of the barrel 24 so that the cam 74 drives the balls 56 inwardly. The balls 56, in order to move inwardly, must act on the cam 48 to displace the pin 42 into its inoperative position to permit entry of the detents 34 into the reduced-diameter portion 44 of the pin, as shown in FIG. 4.

It ywill be seen that balls `56 constitute radially movable follower elements for cam portions 72 and 74 of the actuator 60, and the radial movement of these balls is converted into axial movement of pin 46 by the cam element 48 on the pin.

Thus, the disclosed arrangement of the cams 48, 72 and 74 yand balls 56 results in unidirectional movement of the pin 42 from its operative position into its inoperative position in response to bidirectional movement of the actuator 60, which is an important feature of the invention. Further, the actuating forces which must Ibe applied to the actuator 60 are the same forces which are necessary to insert land withdraw the fastening device 10, which is another important feature.

It vwill be noted that the circumferentially spaced balls 56 cooperate with the annular cams 48, 72 and 74 to avoid the imposition of any unbalanced side loads on the pin 42 and the actuator 60.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the following claims:

We claim as our invention:

l. In a fastening device, the combination of a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; said barrel having an enlarged head portion at the other end of said barrel and forming a stop spaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin `adjacent one end thereof for moving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative position, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperative position; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin and biasing said pin toward said operative position; an actuator sleeve surrounding the enlarged head portion of said barrel and being slidably movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direction from a normal position, and means controlled by movement of said actuator sleeve in either direction from its normal position for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means.

2. In a fastening device, the combination of: a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried by said barrel adjacent the other end of said ybarrel and facing said one end thereof, said lstop beingspaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for ment of said actuator, a follower cooperating with said cam and being movable radially of said barrel for either direction of movement of said actuator member, and a cam element carried by said pin and cooperating with said follower to convert radial movement of said follower into axial movement of said pin.

3. In a fastening device, the combination of: a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried by said barrel adjacent the other end of said barrel and facing said one end thereof, said stop being spaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; -means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for moving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative position, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperative position; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin yand biasing said pin toward said operative position; an actuator carried by said barrel adjacent said other end thereof and movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direction; and cooperating cam means on said actuator and said pin for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means in response to movement of said actuator in either direction,

` said cooperating cam means including two opposed cams on said actuator, a cam on said pin adjacent the other end thereof, and means engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator.

4. In a fastening device, the combination of: a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended t positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried bysaid barrel adjacent the other end of said barrel and facing said one end thereof, said stop being spaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for moving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative position, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperative position; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin and biasing said pin toward said operative position; an actuator carried by said barrel adjacent said other end thereof and movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direction; two opposed cams on said actuator and converging with the axis of said barrel in directions toward and away from, respectively, said 4one end of said barrel; a cam on said pin adjacent the other end thereof and converging with the axis of said barrel in a direction toward said one end of said barrel; and means engaging said cam on said pin and selectively en-gageable with said cams on said actuator for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means in response to movement of said actuator in either direction.

5. In a fastening device, the combination of: av barrel;

a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried by said barrel adjacent the other end of said barrel and facing said one end thereof, said stop beingspaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for moving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative posiy tion, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperatve posiftion; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin and biasing said pin toward said operative position; an actuator carried by said barrel adjacent said other end thereof and movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direction; two opposed cams on said actuator and converging with the axis of said barrel in directions toward and away from, respectively, said one end of said barrel; a cam on said pin adjacent the other end thereof and converging vvith the axis of said barrel in a direction toward said one end of said barrel; and means engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means in response to movement of said actuator in either direction, said cams on said actuator and said cam on said pin being annular cams, the means last defined comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced elements engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator.

6. In a fastening device, the combination of: a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, retracted and outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried by said barrel adjacent the other end of said barrel and facing said one end thereof, said stop being spaced longitudinally of said barrel from said detent; ya pin in and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for moving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative position, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperative position; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin and biasing said pin toward said operative position; an actuator carried by said barrel adjacent said other end thereof and movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direction; two opposed cams on said actuator and converging with the axis of said barrel in directions toward and away from, respectively, said one end of said barrel; a cam on said pin adjacent the other end thereof and converging with the axis of said barrel in a direction toward said one end of said barrel; and means engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means in response to movement of said actuator in either direction, said cams on said actuator and said cam on said pin being annular cams, the means last defined comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced elements engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator, said actuator being telescoped over said other end of said barrel and said circumferentially spaced elements extending through said barrel into engagement with said cam on said pin and into selective engagement with said cams on said actuator, said cams on said actuator being formed by the sides of a V-shaped, internal annular groove in said actuator.

7. In a fastening device, the combination of: a barrel; a detent carried by said barrel adjacent one end thereof and movable laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to said barrel between inner, .retractedand outer, extended positions, said detent projecting laterally from said barrel when in said extended position; a stop carried by said lbarrel adjacent the other end of said barrel and facing said one end thereof, said stop being spaced 1ongitudinally of said barrel from said detent; a pin lin and movable longitudinally of said barrel between operative and inoperative positions; means on said pin adjacent one end thereof for lmoving said detent outwardly into said extended position when said pin is in said operative position, said detent being movable inwardly into said retracted position when said pin is in said inoperative position; spring means acting on said barrel and said pin and biasing said pin toward said operative position; `an actuator carried bysaid barrel adjacent said other end thereof and movable longitudinally of said barrel in either direcf tion; two opposed cams on said actuator and converging with the axis of said barrel in directions toward and away from, respectively, said one end of said barrel; a cam on said pin adjacent the other end thereof and converging with the axis of said barrel in a direction toward said one end of said barrel; means engaging said cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator for moving said pin from said operative position to said inoperative position against the action of said spring means in-response to movement lof said actuator in either direction, said cams ori-,said Yactuator and said cam on said pin being annular cams, the means last defined comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced .elements engagingsaid cam on said pin and selectively engageable with said cams on said actuator, said actuator being telescoped over said other end of Vsaid barrel and said circumferentially spaced elements extending through said barrel into engagement with said cam on said pin and into selective engagement with said cams on said actuator, said cams on said actuator being formed by the sides of a V-'shaped, internal annular groove in said actuator; and a manually graspable handle on said actuator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,637 Fischer July 2, 1912 2,352,414 Spooner June 27, 1944 2,612,049 Koch Sept. 30, 1952 2,647,798 Ballard Aug. 4, 1953 2,786,362 Immel Mar. 26, 1957 2,786,383 Bachman Mar. 26, 1957 2,816,471 Bachman Dec. 17, 1957 

